Taco Truck Tacos

"Food is music inside the body, and Mexican food is a band of Mariachis"

                                                                                          -Pelagia

 

 

I never met no taco I didn’t like.  In fact, I’m headed out to buy a couple of them right now.  Not just any tacos but arguably some of the best tacos I have eaten.  And they make and serve them straight from a taco truck. Are you in?

Did you know that the original taco truck always carried a bottle of castor oil to help patrons with those delicate moments when bowels refused movement? Back in 1866 the food truck was called a chuck wagon and probably didn’t even serve tacos.  Designed to provide a proper cooked meal for long cattle drives that could take months at a time, the chuck wagon offered such fare as  beans, coffee, salt pork and greasy cloth wrapped bacon.

About 1900, food wagons showed up in big cities like New York to service night-time workers. This began a trend that spread across the country to towns and cities everywhere where these mobile kitchens provided hot, affordable meals to people where they worked. 

 Today the food wagon industry has evolved to where a gamut of culinary choices from the simple, gourmet and even exotic can be found. Many are at stationary sites, others rotate their locations and still others notify you daily of their arrival to the musical strains of “La Cucaracha”.  Yes, one can find some fine eating at your friendly neighborhood food truck.

Which brings me back to the best tacos I’ve ever had. 

The name of the truck is San Pancho’s Tacos. And you can find their mobile kitchen parked at 491 Bayshore Blvd in front of Lowes Hardware in San Francisco.  Sal and Ivonne started their food truck business in 2008 to follow their dream of being business owners but because of full time employment and schedules they had to give up that dream for 2 ½ years.  In 2010 they both made a hard decision to give up their jobs to go full time as cook and owners of San Pancho’s Tacos.

Mexican food is just a big flirt with our senses, don’t you think? The aromas awaken your hunger. The palate of colors catches your eyes. The food demands that you engage it hands on.  And the flavors dance with your taste buds till you cry out “Caramba!”  And this is what makes the food at San Pancho’s rock.    Mexican cuisine is part of their family heritage.  Sal’s love for food was kindled as he saw his mother cooking for their large family.

Today you can taste the influence of her kitchen skills through the food that Sal prepares. Ivonne is a gracious person who makes you feel like a guest at her kitchen.

Traditional tacos are usually sold with two corn tortillas. Sometimes that works for me and sometimes it doesn’t depending how dry the corn tortillas are.  At San Pancho’s they are always fresh.  But here Sal and Ivonne serve them in a way I’ve never found before. Ask for your tacos “San Pancho’s style” and besides a great array of fixings on top, you’ll find cheese melted between the two corn tortillas bonding them into a type of quesadilla taco.  Fantástico! Each one served is like a work of art. 

By the way in Mexico, Pancho is a nickname for Francisco. As Sal and friends sat around one day here in the City debating names for the new business the name “San Pancho’s” was born. 

Some of the best tacos I’ve had and they’re right here at Sal and Ivonne’s mobile kitchen called San Pancho’s Tacos.  They are available for catering. 

If you come out, let me know ahead of time and maybe I’ll join you. I’m always up for a taco trip.

Salud!

 

San Pancho's Tacos

491 Bayshore Blvd.

San Francisco, CA

(415) 275-1520